Getting There
by btamamura
Summary: The long-awaited sequel to 'Tears of a Gear Fighter'. Kuroudo gets through his grief with the help of someone else close to Jin.


Getting There  
  
Kuroudo-Well, yamitammy has managed to write a sequel to one of her best stories. You might recall the story 'Tears of a Gear Fighter'. That's when it all began. Jin had died and it focused on me realising the truth of the painful fact. Here's how I manage to get through my grief. I hope you enjoy this as she took a while to write it. yamitammy doesn't own Crush Gear Turbo, the characters or the names of the Crush Gear. She does however own images of us, episodes on video which she taped from the TV and models of Shooting Mirage, Shooting Phantom, Dino Spartan, Racing Bull and Tigeraid. This is dedicated to everybody in the Crush Gear Turbo Community. Especially to Kuro-san. Also this is dedicated to FiendishSeraph as thanks for the review for this story's prequel. Thank you and enjoy the story. Please review.  
  
A month had passed since Gear Master Kyousuke Jin had passed away. Most of the members of the Tobita Club and the Japanese branch of Team Griffon were starting to show signs of improvement-even Jin's cousin Kaoru Hanano. Only one person who was a former member of Team Griffon and the fourth gear fighter to join the Tobita Club was still mourning. I'm talking about Jin's best friend Kuroudo Jean Marume. Every morning he would wake up feeling exhausted. It was a good thing there were no Crush Gear tournaments this time of year, Kuroudo was only fighting half-heartedly. He couldn't even focus in kendo. This concerned the master of the school as Kuroudo was one of the top students in the school. "Kuroudo, you just haven't had the same spirit this past month. There's something troubling you, isn't there?"  
  
Kuroudo sadly nodded his head. "I'm afraid so. Jin's death is still shadowing my heart."  
  
"I know that you and Jin were best friends, but the time will come in which you'll be able to get through a day without being so sad."  
  
"I don't think a time like that will ever come. Jin was practically my brother."  
  
"Maybe you could talk to your mother, your team mates, maybe even someone else who was close to Jin like his family or one of his friends. You could even honour his memory. Make a scrapbook of him; maybe dedicate your next gear fight."  
  
"Those are good ideas. Thank you."  
  
"Another thing, take care of yourself, I don't think Jin would want you to be so sad."  
  
"You're right, but the pain won't ease. I'm crying myself to sleep practically every night."  
  
"If you find it hard to talk to your mother, then try talking to Jin's parents or somebody else really close to him."  
  
"I know who I could talk to! Her name's Lan Fang, she and Jin were in love with each other."  
  
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. You should get in touch with her right away."  
  
"Thank you." Kuroudo headed for the changing room where he changed into his shirt, pants, vest and ribbon combo. Before he left, he bowed politely in greeting to the master then hurried home.  
  
After leaving his sword and uniform in his bedroom, Kuroudo used the phone to call Lan Fang. He knew that she'd been staying at Lilika's house for the time being.  
  
"Hello, this is Lilika Tobita," the voice on the other end said.  
  
"Hello, Lilika, it's Kuroudo. Is Lan Fang there?"  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
"Could you please put her on?"  
  
"Of course, one minute please."  
  
Kuroudo was listening to piano music; obviously the phone was on hold.  
  
Another voice was on the phone. "Hello, Kuroudo."  
  
"Hello, Lan. I need to talk to you, could you please come over here for a while?"  
  
"Of course, I'll be over right away."  
  
"Oh, and please bring something for Jin, we'll visit him after our talk."  
  
"Of course, Kuroudo. I'll see you very shortly."  
  
"Thanks, Lan. See you soon."  
  
"Bye."  
  
After hearing Lan hang up the phone, he hung up. Even though he still never forgave her for what she did to Jin in San Francisco, he knew that he had to use the correct phone etiquette. He waited patiently for the gear mistress to arrive.  
  
Ten minutes later, Lan had arrived at the Marume mansion. She pressed the doorbell.  
  
Kuroudo opened the door. "Hello, Lan. I'm glad you could make it." He moved aside so the dark-haired female could enter. "It's a beautiful day, how about we sit under a shady tree?"  
  
Lan nodded. She clutched the box she held.  
  
Minutes later, the two kids were sitting under a large tree. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Lan asked.  
  
"It's been a month since he left us, Lan. How have you been holding up?"  
  
"There have been days where I just wanted to cry, but I have been okay otherwise. How have you been?"  
  
"In rough shape. I can't focus in kendo, I don't put my heart into gear fighting, I've been waking up every morning feeling as though I had stayed up all night and some nights I actually cry myself to sleep."  
  
"You've known Jin longer than I have. Could you possibly tell me more about him?"  
  
"Of course. Well, Jin was pretty determined. If he had a task to do, he stuck to it until he completed it successfully. He had to have it perfect or he wouldn't quit, even if he was told to. He was a bit stubborn too. He claimed he wanted to be alone, but he was still glad he had friends. He was a great friend too. Did you hear about what happened the day I was to fight Takeshi in the World Cup?"  
  
"No, not really. What happened?"  
  
"Well, during my matches against Jin and Rin, the shaft for Shooting Phantom's drill was damaged. When Jin and Jirou went to Schwartzwald better known as the Black Forest, Jin, as Jirou told me, didn't eat or sleep for two days, he just worked on fixing Phantom. When they were on their way back, they were caught in a traffic jam and had to get back on foot. Jirou was injured along the way so Jin arrived at the arena alone. When he discovered that he was a minute late, he actually cried as he apologised. I remember I cried too as I told Jin that what beating Takeshi or becoming the World Cup champion wasn't important and that having him as my friend was the best thing that ever happened."  
  
"That's quite a story, Kuroudo. You know, I'm having some regrets about what happened in San Francisco. I didn't want to hurt him, especially since he was so nice to me."  
  
"Lan, we've both hurt him in our own ways, but we also loved him in our own ways. You hurt him in America, but you still loved him. I hurt him when I left Team Griffon, but he was still my friend in my heart. I guess the old saying's true-'You always hurt the one you love'. Lan, I thank you for coming over so we could have this talk."  
  
"It's alright, Kuroudo. Have I helped you?"  
  
"Yes, the weight is now off my chest, I'm feeling a bit better."  
  
"That's good, because do you know what Jin asked me to do a month before he died?"  
  
"No."  
  
"He asked me, if anything should happen to him, to take care of you as best as I can. Kuroudo, you were everything to him."  
  
Kuroudo stood up then helped Lan up. "Are you ready to visit Jin now?"  
  
Lan nodded. "I'm ready."  
  
The two kids left the garden then headed to the cemetary.  
  
They arrived at Jin's grave. Kuroudo knelt down and placed a flower on the grave.  
  
Lan knelt beside Kuroudo, opened the box and placed the trinket on the grave. (It's the broken Chinese Astor from her hairties.)  
  
"Isn't that...?"  
  
"Yes. Even though he has passed on, it doesn't mean he shouldn't have it. You yourself said he kept that with him ever since I left it for him. I feel he should still have it."  
  
"You're right." Kuroudo lit an incense stick with a match. He and Lan then both closed their eyes and prayed for Jin. They opened their eyes again. "Jin, I miss you a lot, but I know you're watching over us. You don't have to worry, Lan is taking care of me just like you asked her to. You were everything to me too and you still are. I hope you are happy where you are and I'm sure Yuhya is taking care of you. I'm saddened you left us, but it's comforting to know you're watching over us. Take care, Jin, I'll never forget you," Kuroudo said before he and Lan left.  
  
"You're getting there, Kuroudo. It isn't easy, but you're getting there," a voice carried by the wind said. The voice belonged to to noneother than gear master Kyousuke Jin, the best friend of Kuroudo Jean Marume  
  
Kuroudo smiled as though he heard the words no one will hear. "I'm getting there, Jin. It isn't easy, but I'm getting there," he whispered as though in response.  
  
The End 


End file.
